Public Speaking Anxiety – Confident presentation skills

Public speaking anxiety is something that affects many people both in their professional and private lives. It’s an area of study that I have a very keen interest in. It stems from my teaching career in ‘Inner London’ and also in the Pharmaceutical industry. I have given many presentations to large, and often, very challenging audiences. In a sporting context, I was given the privilege to referee a National League Cup final at Wembley Arena with TV cameras and 8,000 people. Another type of ‘presentation’ in itself.

Quite simply, I know from first hand experience how … and how not to, connect with an audience. It is through this extensive and diverse experience that I am able to assist you. When we work together we will explore these skills, hints and techniques that I know work in terms of how you connect confidently and effectively with all of your audience in a manner that makes sense to you and working at your pace. This experience in a ‘one to one’ setting can’t be gleaned from a text book – you’ll need to be shown first hand…

Help with

Interview preparation

Preparing presentations

Effective interviewing

Professional presentations

One to one presentations

Large group presentations

Wedding speeches

Group co-ordination skills and techniques

Selling skills

Leading and organising an important event

‘Best man’ speeches

“I contacted David at Ethical Minds Hypnotherapy in Cheltenham, England in desperate need of help with public speaking. I had recently developed an extreme anxiety before making presentations at work in New York. He took time to understand the type of person I am and how best to work with me.With a ‘Best man’ speech fast approaching I had to tackle the issue head on. David did much more than hypnosis alone, he got me to visualise my presentations/speeches in a specific way. He also got me to perform and present to him using a variety of bespoke techniques. It helped me understand what makes an effective presentation.

The results were incredible. As soon as I’d left David I felt confident and almost excited for the next opportunity to speak in public. When the ‘Best man’ speech came along I was at ease, confident and had no nerves whatsoever. David’s work is really quite remarkable and I can’t thank him enough for what he’s done.”
T. James. New York, USA

“Just to let you know about my ‘Best man’s speech’ . I was nervous but the speech went amazingly well. The feedback has been great and the groom loved it… Thanks for all your help!”
Jim, Cheltenham.

Public speaking

“Before I came to see David at Ethical Minds Hypnotherapy in Cheltenham I was terrified of public speaking. I would do everything to avoid it. Even from the first session I could feel my confidence start to grow. I set my sights on the final goal. I found the sessions very relaxed but very professional and at the same time and was also made aware that David was only a phone call away. Each session felt like a big step further forward. I now feel more confident in many more aspects in my life i.e. not just public speaking. I would never have thought I could have done it before going to see David. Thank you very much for everything.”Guy, Gloucester

“David, Just a note to say thanks for the help and encouragement you gave me over our four sessions. I have always found public speaking difficult and our sessions helped me recognise and deal with my anxiety. Your approach was pragmatic and considered. I am no longer spending my professional life avoiding public speaking.Thank you.”
Harriet, Cheltenham.

Interview panel presentations

I contacted David again as part of my interview required me to do a ten minute presentation to the interview panel. Although I hadn’t finalised what I was going to say, David encouraged me to go through what I could remember and then helped me to structure my presentation and highlight the main points that I wanted to make. This made it so much easier for me to remember, as before I tended to panic under pressure, but we practiced key techniques so that I could recite my presentation backwards and forwards!

Whilst also building up my confidence levels, David tried to replicate what the interview would entail, so that I could be as prepared as possible and take the presentation in my stride. I am pleased to report that my interview was a success and I start my course later this year. I would like to take this opportunity to thank David for all his help, tips, techniques and support in order to prepare me thoroughly for my interview. I strongly recommend David to anybody else who is in a similar situation.” Catherine, Tetbury.

Wedding speeches

“I contacted David within the run up to my wedding, there was about a month to go to the ‘Big Day’. I was getting increasingly uneasy about the prospect of delivering my groom’s speech to a large group of people. Public speaking had always bothered me and was something I actively avoided since school days. I went ‘cold’ at the very prospect. However, I was determined that this feeling would not spoil the most important day of my life or the build up to it. So I took the decision to take some positive action and so took the step to contact Ethical Minds.

After the first very session and following some of David’s advice and ‘seemingly simple’ exercises, the feeling of unease all but disappeared. I built on other practical skills during a few subsequent sessions. David is an extremely trustworthy and affable individual. He brings an unprecedented ease to the proceedings.

Through his great knowledge and experience he is able to tailor the remedial course completely around the individual. He provides a significant advantage over alternative, ‘one size fits all’ approaches offered by some other practitioners. So effective was David’s advice and treatment that when the Big Day came I was able to fully enjoy what was the happiest day of my life. I delivered the speech in a relaxed and confident manner which still draws many extremely complimentary comments even now. Friends said it was genuinely one of the best they had seen and heard. Without David’s help I know that I would have been unable to unlock this potential. I cannot recommend his service highly enough to anyone who finds themselves in a similar situation.”
Neil, Cheltenham

In summary

You’ll also be please to know that Cognitive Hypnotherapy can help you too by improving your self confidence and your recall as you relax and focus the positive aspects of your environment with your former public speaking anxiety becoming a thing of the past. In addition to the hypnotherapy element, I often augment the session with the use of an extensive range of advanced NLP techniques – a ‘belt and braces’ approach really.

This means you can be sure to give your very best and most effective performance, safe in the knowledge that you will feel calm, self assured, knowledgeable and confident before, during and after the event.

Rather than sit there worrying about the outcome of your specific event, be proactive and take control now. Give me a call and we can talk through your options in confidence.

I’m here to assist in your success and most importantly, in a way that makes sense to you…